Quarterback Behren Morton Expected To Return vs. Houston

The Red Raiders will get back their star quarterback after an early exit against Utah

Rob Gray-Imagn Images

Texas Tech quarterback Will Hammond shined in the second half against the Utah Utes in Week 4. He had 230 yards of offense and a pair of passing touchdowns, securing a 34-10 win in a game that was much tighter than the final score indicated.

However, Hammond was only thrust into the lineup after Behren Morton exited the game during the third quarter following a hit while sliding on a scramble attempt. The senior signal-caller was dealing with some neck soreness, which kept him from returning mid-game, but the expectation was that he could return after a fortunately timed bye week.

According to Pete Nakos of On3, Morton is now expected to start as the Red Raiders travel to Houston to take on the 4-0 Cougars. He returned to practice this week after passing concussion protocol and "feels great," according to head coach Joey McGuire.

Texas Tech quarterback Behren Morton will start Saturday at Houston, sources tell @On3sports. He exited the Utah game with a neck injury but had a bye week to recover.

Backup QB Will Hammond finished off the 34-10 win over Utah earlier this month.https://t.co/ylnJc9g75H pic.twitter.com/oDgrblEFJW

— Pete Nakos (@PeteNakos_) September 30, 2025

As long as he is healthy, there should be little room for discussion of any quarterback controversy. Hammond performed admirably, willing Texas Tech's offense to victory after a slow start from Morton; however, the team is invested in Morton, who has been very successful in scarlet and black.

This season, Morton has 1,065 passing yards and 11 touchdowns with three interceptions. He is averaging a Big 12-high 10.7 yards per pass attempt and boasts an 84.2 passing grade, according to PFF. In the three games he has completed this season, the Red Raiders have scored 58 points per game, as he is captaining one of the country's most potent offenses.

However, Hammond has had more action than the average backup quarterback. The redshirt freshman has thrown a pass in every game this season, thanks to first-half blowouts. He has completed over 75% of his throws for 369 yards and four touchdowns while adding 169 rushing yards and two rushing scores. He also has the fourth-best PFF passing grade in the country (91.7).

"I watched some games this week that a lot of people wish they had a Will Hammond as their No. 2," McGuire said. "I promise you, Iowa does, you know, in that Indiana game whenever they lost their quarterback."

"We're really fortunate that we have the two guys that we have. And shoot, I mean, when we were at Utah, if Will's helmet would have came off, Mitch [Griffis] would have come in there slinging it around, too."

Rob Gray-Imagn Images

When asked what he wanted to see from Morton when he returns, Texas Tech offensive coordinator Mack Leftwich said he wanted to see his quarterback return to the level he has already displayed.

"I just want him to get back to playing like he was before he got hurt," Leftwich said. "I think he was playing efficient. He was making good decisions, playing with a lot of confidence, which I expect him to. He's been good. He was back out there [on Sunday, Sept. 28,] throwing the ball around and looked good, looked confident."

While Morton has been a surgeon this season, he did struggle a bit against Utah in the first half. He threw a pair of interceptions, though Utah has a vaunted defense known for creating turnovers. Morton was pressured on 10 of 22 dropbacks and moved well behind the line of scrimmage, creating scrambling opportunities.

"The two interceptions, were they great-thrown balls? No, but the defensive guys also made great plays," Leftwich said. "Those are easily correctable things, but other than that, I thought he played well and competed at a high level; and he's just so good as a leader."

Texas Tech offensive coordinator Mack Leftwich says QB Behren Morton went through Sunday practice. "Looked good. Looked confident. Excited to get him back out there."

— Joseph Duarte (@Joseph_Duarte) September 29, 2025

Hammond's time will come — McGuire confirmed that their QB2 is under a two-year contract, tying him to Lubbock, Texas, through the 2026 season. The future is bright for the Red Raiders, but the present is equally promising as the No. 11 team in the country looks to compete for the Big 12 title in 2025.